Here you can read a personal account of the route for this stage, together with route maps centred around the start and end points, and information on transport connections, pubs, accommodation and camp sites. You can see a photo gallery, browse through the walk stages, and you can use Google search to look up the start and end points of your day's walking. GPX files for your sat nav are available for download, but please don't blame me if you get lost following them!

This alternative is still a wild route, with few signs of civilisation apart from the Upper Derwent and Howden reservoirs, but the route finding is easier and the paths are infinitely better. From Back Tor, take the flagged path to Lost Lad, a bizarre name more suited to the main route. Lost Lad is a superb viewpoint with a lovely memorial depicting the multitude of hills in view, and the flagged path continues on to drop down into Upper Derwent Valley where Abbey Brook empties into the reservoir. Keep north along the east bank of Howden reservoir, which eventually become the infant River Derwent. Watch out for Slippery Stones, a well-known wild swimming spot in summer, and keep on along the river, gradually regaining the height lost since Back Tor. The path wends westwards, on its way towards the source of the River Derwent at Swains Greave, but we turn north up Hoar Clough to the Shepherds Meeting Stones, where there is shelter in bad weather. From here, follow the faint path northwards to rejoin the main route near the Hoar Clough Head.